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In the News with Mike Dakkak

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Common Sense Commentary on Politics,Culture and Current EventsDescription: In the News is a political podcast that coverspolitics, culture and current events. We don’t cover political news from theliberal or conservative, Republican or Democratic points of view. Rather wepresent political news from an Independent point of view. We aim to educatelisteners on the issues of the day by giving background on the topics andexplaining how the political debate of the nation stands to impact our dailylives.

Episodes

Following the Money – Part I

8/11/2017

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The Russian hacking attack against the US was an unprecedented attack against the US and its election system. The attack was conducted using cyber means but cyberattacks are not the only tools of influence that the Russian government employs from its arsenal. In part one of a two-part series we discuss the other major means by which the Russian government seeks to expand its sphere of influence.

Duration: 00:31:58

Return to Order

8/4/2017

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John McCain cast a deciding vote against the repeal of Obamacare last week. Why? In this episode we discuss the vote and why it may be one that is remembered for a long time.

Duration: 00:33:20

Punishing Loyalty

7/28/2017

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Donald Trump has embarked on a campaign of public humiliation against his Attorney General Jeff Sessions in frustration over Sessions’ decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation. Are the President’s criticisms well-founded, and do they serve the President well in the long term? We discuss in today’s episode.

Duration: 00:20:55

Permission to Proceed

7/21/2017

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Republicans’ plans to repeal and replace Obamacare fell through this week amid defections from within their ranks. But they nevertheless vowed to proceed on bringing a repeal bill to the floor for a vote. Does a repeal bill have a chance of passing? We discuss in today’s episode.

Duration: 00:20:36

To a Head

7/14/2017

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Two of the biggest stories dominating the news this year have been the Republican effort to repeal Obamacare and the Trump Campaign-Russia collusion story. Both stories hit inflection points this week and we discuss them in today’s episode.

Duration: 00:24:16

Making Things Worse

7/7/2017

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President Barack Obama chose not to get involved in the Syrian civil war and not to retaliate for Russian interference in our election. But did our lack of action on these two fronts keep things from getting worse or did they, in fact, cause them to get worse? We discuss in today’s episode.

Duration: 00:35:06

Secret Care

6/30/2017

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Republicans have been conducting their health care negotiations in private, making details of their plans public only days before a potential vote. Why are they doing this and are they just avoiding the inevitable? We discuss in today’s episode.

Duration: 00:32:28

Crimes and Misdemeanors

6/23/2017

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Last month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions instructed federal prosecutors to pursue maximum punishments lawfully possible in all criminal cases. The directive represents a rollback of Obama-era reforms that had been in place since 2013. The US has 5% of the world’s population but 25% of the world’s prison population. How did we get here and what’s the best way to reform our criminal justice system? We discuss in today’s episode.

Duration: 00:40:44

Reforming Reform

6/16/2017

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Last week, with little fanfare, the House of Representatives repealed the Dodd-Frank financial regulation law. What was in the repeal bill and is regulation really a burden on the economy or do the benefits outweigh the costs? We discuss in today’s episode.

Duration: 00:33:54

Comey’s Revenge

6/9/2017

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Was it a smart thing for the President to do to fire FBI Director James Comey? The President reportedly fired Comey to alleviate the great pressure he was feeling because of the Russia investigation. In today’s episode, we discuss why the pressure has not been alleviated and likely won’t be for some time to come.

Duration: 00:31:35

Forget Paris

6/2/2017

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President Trump announced this week that he would be withdrawing the US from the Paris climate agreement reached between 195 countries in 2015. President Trump’s environmental agenda has been one of the few that has moved along unabated. But has it been wise long-term strategy? We discuss in today’s episode.

Duration: 00:34:08

World Tour

5/25/2017

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President Trump embarked on his first foreign trip this week, an itinerary that was an ambitious mix of religious, political and economic destinations. What were his goals and what makes for a strong president on the world stage? We discuss in today’s episode.

Duration: 00:35:40

Constitutional Crisis

5/18/2017

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Are we in a constitutional crisis right now? Our government may not be as well as we would like it to. Things may not be running efficiently right now. But does that constitute a constitutional crisis? What exactly does it mean to be in a constitutional crisis? We attempt to answer in today’s episode.

Duration: 00:34:32

The Tuesday Night Massacre

5/11/2017

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President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey this week. The stated reason is for his handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation. But what is the real reason? And will the President come to regret it? We discuss in today’s episode.

Duration: 00:35:45

The Trump Doctrine

5/4/2017

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A foreign policy doctrine is a statement on the key foreign policy goals and beliefs of a president. It lays out the conditions by which a country will intervene abroad and establishes red lines. What is the most important aspect of a foreign policy doctrine and what dangers have been introduced by the foreign policy decisions this administration has made during its time in office? We discuss in today’s episode.

Duration: 00:35:41

The To-Do List

4/28/2017

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The first 100 days of the Trump administration came to an end this week. How much of his first 100-day action plan has been accomplished? We discuss in today’s episode. We also discuss an unforeseen issue that may wind up being the defining issue of Trump’s presidential term.

Duration: 00:33:08

President Liar

4/21/2017

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The President has flip-flopped on many issues in recent days, reversing himself on issues that he was pretty outspoken about during the campaign. There is also the ongoing investigation into ties between Russia and Trump campaign officials. In this episode, we discuss why this latest round of policy shifts may be more damaging than previous ones.

Duration: 00:34:21

Going Nuclear

4/14/2017

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The Senate recently changed the number of votes necessary to confirm a Supreme Court Justice from 60 to 51. What are the lessons to be drawn from the filibuster and where does the change leave the Senate? We discuss in today’s episode.

Duration: 00:25:39

Useful Idiots

4/7/2017

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Russia attacked the US presidential election by hacking into government systems and leaking the information online. The weapons used in the campaign were powerful and effective. But were the most powerful and effective weapons used you and I? We discuss in today’s episode.

Duration: 00:35:51

Healthy Taxes

3/31/2017

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The Republican plan to replace Obamacare would leave 24 million more Americans uninsured than under Obamacare. It would raise premiums on many older and sicker Americans. It was opposed by just about every major health organization in the country as well as many Republicans in Congress. What was behind Republican leadership’s dedication to passing it? Was it health care or something else? We answer in today’s episode.